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Category Archives: Garuda Amulets

Here are 4 Chinese bronze mirrors I have acquired. The first two are possibly shamanic and are likely to be from the Ming period (1368-1644). The third one is probably a copy of a ‘Warring States’ period mirror and is decorated with 4 creatures which may be dragons or serpents. The last one, probably 20th Century, has some Chinese engraving which means something like: ‘I place my seal here for the good of others’ or ‘I made this to reveal the truth’. 🙂

Any imperfections in a mirror’s surface were filled in with copper. The entire surface of the mirror was then covered with a mercury amalgam that created a silvery, smooth reflective surface. On these mirrors that surface has worn off in places and the copper has oxidised. The odd trace of rust is sometimes also seen, which may be due to the soil chemistry etc.

Two small melongs have come my way. The larger one has a rainbow patina. As well as the other uses of a melong, apparently they are placed on the stomach of a baby as a soother. Aaah. 🙂

As well as what seems to be Yama, Lord of Death at the top, the Chinese zodiac animals and the Eight Trigrams there are nine symbols in the centre. here is an explanation kindly given pemachopel on the forum Vajracakra.com :

”Numbers 1-9. In Tibetan, these are called the me-wa gu. In English, this is a so-called magic square where any line added up across, down, or the hypotenuse through the middle equals 15. These nine numbers are correlated to the nine stars. It is a system of numerology/astrology. It was borrowed from the Tibetans from the Chinese, remembering that Tibetans use both kar-tsi (white or Indian astrology) and nak-tsi (black or Chinese astrology). (The white and black are abbreviations for the Tibetan for India, gya-kar, vast white, and China, gya-nak, vast black. One gloss of this is that the white and black are based on the color of clothes that predominate(d) in each respective country.) In Chinese, this system is called the nine star system and can be used as a complete system of divination. Each person is born under the influence of one of these nine stars and the relationship of these “stars/number” progresses in an orderly fashion according to the hour, day, month, and year, with good and bad “aspects.” Among Tibetans, each of these stars is associated with a deity. Therefore, they can be propitiated to avert bad influences. The whole diagram on the back of the melong is meant to protect one from all adverse astrological influences. Square versions are printed on paper and either folded up and worn as amulets or mounted in homes, places of business, etc. for the same reason. Propitiation of these deities is often specifically mentioned in various sang and ser-kyem offerings, as in “turn back/avert the bad influences of the me-wa gu,” etc.”

Chinese legends concerning the pre-historic Emperor Yu (夏禹) tell of the Lo Shu, often in connection with the Ho Tu (河圖) figure and 8 trigrams. In ancient China there was a huge deluge: the people offered sacrifices to the god of one of the flooding rivers, the Luo river (洛何), to try to calm his anger. A magical turtle emerged from the water with the curious and decidedly unnatural (for a turtle shell) Lo Shu pattern on its shell: circular dots giving unary (base 1) representations of the integers one through nine are arranged in a three-by-three grid.

The Lo Shu square on the back of a small turtle (in the center), surrounded by the signs of the Chinese Zodiac and the Eight trigrams, all carried by a large turtle (which, presumably, stands for the Dragon horsethat had earlier revealed the trigrams to Fu Xi). A Tibetan design.

The odd and even numbers alternate in the periphery of the Lo Shu pattern; the 4 even numbers are at the four corners, and the 5 odd numbers (outnumbering the even numbers by one) form a cross in the center of the square. The sums in each of the 3 rows, in each of the 3 columns, and in both diagonals, are all 15 (the number of days in each of the 24 cycles of the Chinese solar year). Since 5 is in the center cell, the sum of any two other cells that are directly through the 5 from each other is 10 (e.g., opposite corners add up to 10, the number of the Ho Tu (河圖)).

The Lo Shu is sometimes connected numerologically with the Ba Gua 八卦 “8 trigrams”, which can be arranged in the 8 outer cells, reminiscent of circular trigram diagrams. Because north is placed at the bottom of maps in China, the 3×3 magic square having number 1 at the bottom and 9 at the top is used in preference to the other rotations/reflections. As seen in the“Later Heaven” arrangement, 1 and 9 correspond with ☵ Kǎn 水 “Water” and ☲ Lí 火 “Fire” respectively. In the “Early Heaven” arrangement, they would correspond with ☷ Kūn 地 “Earth” and ☰ Qián 天 “Heaven” respectively. Like the Ho Tu (河圖), the Lo Shu square, in conjunction with the 8 trigrams, is sometimes used as a mandalic representation important inFeng Shui (風水) geomancy. ”

Just received a few bronze items. They are based on Khyung Kilaya, a combination deity in which Garuda (Khyung) is supported by Vajrakilaya (or Dorje Phurba). One version is just the Garuda as a pendant (thogchag) :

I have recently acquired the melongs pictured for ritual use. These are antique or reproduction Japanese, I believe.

Whilst I use the term ‘shamanic’ the mirrors have a use and significance extending into more formalised religions and practices which also have their roots in the HImalayas.

Bronze mirrors were widespread in use before the advent of mirror glass. In Tibet and other countries they are still used for divination, such as ‘ta’. The concave surface is sometimes decorated and the convex outer surface is polished and mostly plain.

Melongs were traditionally made with 5 Metals: copper, tin, zinc, iron and a fifth metal which may be gold, silver or ‘meteorite iron’. This may represent the elements or have astrological significance, or simply be because it made bowls and bells sound wonderful, and those instruments were re-used to make melongs.

The convex side is shown on the outside when worn. Shamans may have a coat partially covered with these mirrors – to deflect ‘evil’ negative energy away using the convex side, and using the concave side to concentrate the positive energy of deities and spirits to help a person who is ill, perhaps touched onto the body or moved over the painful area. The mirror is also used to bless substances such as water, poured over the mirror as it reflects the image of a nearby deity, for example, or by immersing the blessed mirror in the liquid. :

The Melong used in Tibet is frequently plain on the concave side and on the convex side has a pattern of dots or circles. There are usually 4 sets of 3 dots at each quarter (top, bottom, left and right) which may represent some of the sets of 3 used in Dzogchen, a practice within both Bon and Buddhism:

POSSIBLE GROUPS OF 3 IN THE MELONG:

In Dzogchen the Melong is representative of the primordial state we can discover within ourselves, as a potentiality, and is OM. In the same way, the peacock’s feather is the natural representation of the Thigle colours and rays of the natural state of AH, and the crystal represents primordiality, manifested in stable contemplation eternally as HUM.

Guru’s Body Speech and Mind

The 3 Jewels – Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

Base – Essence, Nature and Energy

or Base, Path and Fruit

Three Wisdoms – Sound, Light, Rays

I recently went on a quest on find my own melong. I bought a few on the internet, as above, but wanted to follow tradition and ‘find’ one that spoke to me, as it were. Tradition is that you either have one passed down to you, ‘acquire’ one from a burial or go on a quest.

Well, I couldn’t afford a trip to the Himalayas so I set about it by asking for the help of a deity. I then travelled to Glastonbury, which has some suppliers of Tibetan goods – no joy. Then, one Saturday I was wandering about the Saturday market in Bath and found a small stall run by a couple who collected artefacts to sell to fund their trips to the Himalayas each year. ‘My’ melong was staring me in the face. 🙂

It has since been purified and blessed many times and worn constantly. Here is a picture as I found it and after a light clean-up:

EDIT 13.12.12 :

An article is now available online which is very informative and useful. Here is the link:

Buddhist malas are used at a basic level for counting mantras, but the materials used and the number of beads have acquired meanings as their use has evolved. There is a nice book entitled ‘Beads of Faith’ (authors Henry & Marriott) which charts the use of rosaries across all faiths, and of course our own Robert Beer who offers some insight into Tibetan usage:

I am not at all shy to admit that the Buddhist mala derived from the Hindu ‘japa mala’ and that the meanings ascribed to 108 beads have been adapted for our needs. There are also superstitions – use only the left hand, the ring finger or the index finger and thumb. (A Hindu would be horrified – they use the right hand as the left is used for ‘toilet’ functions.)

Most monks I have spoken to (mainly Tibetan) have a simple wooden or seed mala with no markers or decoration, and advise that either hand will do and the superstition of not crossing the guru bead is not important. 108 beads mean that we have 100 plus 8 to account for mistakes. Tibetans also use their mala for blessing others, as it is believed the mala absorbs great power through deity mantra practice. I’ve also heard that in a monastery if a monk becomes arrogant, the others will rub their malas into his head. LOL 🙂

Some, I believe, have a ‘public’ mala, but use another in private for Tantra, when the numbers and usage become much more complex and meaningful than originally indicated by the monks.
They will cover a mala when in use for mantra recitation.
Maybe this is a cultural habit from India. Hindu monk will use the mala inside a mala bag when in public, which prevents others seeing it – there is quite an emphasis on seeing as the principal way of engaging with a deity and the ‘evil eye’ is prevented from affecting a hidden mala.

I have tried several different materials because I felt ‘drawn to them’. Fancy lapis with heavy carved gemstone dorje dangling and tinkling as a bell, huge seed malas which would be more at home around the neck of a Saddhu (or 2), and weird materials such as fossil coral.

Some practitioners use Lapis for Medicine Buddha, Carnelian for Vajrayogini, Bone for wrathful practices etc. – a different one for each deity. The colour of the deity is matched by the gemstone, in general.

Others believe that as the mala may be part of an ‘offering’ (for example as part of a mandala) they should be of the best material we can afford.

With many hundreds of thousands of mantras to count, in the end simple and lightweight seems best, so I have strung a few of my own using small bodhiseed, green sandalwood (scented), and ebony – with gemstone markers. I have found doubled -up nylon thread is best, sometimes with a single very thin fishing monofilament as a backup in case of breakage, with knots superglued, and with a stainless steel ring at the bottom, instead of a tassel, for me to attach whatever I want. I have one bodhiseed mala which shows little sign of wear after several hundred thousand recitations.

I have give away many malas as I have experimented and have no ‘attachment’ to them, but find the use of them interesting.

The method of blessing I have been taught involves placing the mala in the right palm, placing the left hand on top (so cupping the mala) silently reciting the Yidam’s mantra 3 or 7 times and then blowing on the mala 3 times. When finished with, the same is done.

I oil wooden or seed malas (patchouli and lavender) but not gemstones. Some gemstones are quite fragile; lapis, for example, can be harmed by sweat and water, so is not a good one to wear all the time. If there is a risk of dampness (of any sort) I keep gemstone malas in a waterproof pouch on my belt or in my pocket. Some oils may have chemicals which affect gemstones, but I’m not sure. I do spray any new wood or seed mala with fabric waterproofer to protect the string and bead, then oil afterwards.

There is a special demand for bone malas made from the skulls of dead monks. I believe there to be a lot of fake malas of this type on the net. The Chinese (including Hong Kong) also may call any blue mala ‘lapis’, for example, and pretend they are unaware that it is a specific material. There are also many fake gemstones in use. Gems described as ‘moonstone’ may in fact be opalite (glass), and most dzi beads are the result of laboratory chemistry and cookery rather than nature. Caveat emptor. 😉

Methods of stringing vary as well. Three strands (or another significant number) tends to be recommended in Tibetan malas, but most I’ve seen are on a bit of rough waxed string, maybe some made from Yak wool or simply cotton. In India malas tend to be knotted between the beads (a Hindu preference for beads not to touch each other). In China, the trend seems to be a single piece of strong thread.

There is a practical consideration. In group work the sound of gemstones clicking may be distracting. Easily resolved – use a wooden or seed mala, or string the gemstone mala so that it may be tightened a little to avoid noise, or knot between adjacent beads.

When dealing with Bodhiseed or bone, 5 or 9 threads is possible, especially if twisted into one string and waxed beforehand, as the holes drilled in the beads tend to be large. With gemstones I rarely find the holes large enough to take more than 3.

Some shapes are easier to use than others I find. Doughnut shaped beads (say 8×6 mm) are easy to move and allow the mala to be shorter than if using round beads (of say 8mm). This means a full mala can be easily kept off the ground during prostrations or when seated on the floor.

Aside from the various meanings ascribed to the beads and threads, practical considerations are also important. I’ve found (no surprise) that good quality costs more and that good maintenance (restringing, cleaning, oiling) is very important. But even more important is its place in the relationship with the guru, who may have given the mala to you or blessed it, and that can be priceless.

Padmasambhava, says: “The best type of mala to use to increase the number of recitations is a mala made from some type of precious jewel (Tib. Tin O che). A mediocre type of mala is made from the seed of a tree or fruit, and inferior type of mala is made from wood, earth, stone or medicine.”

A mala made from seashells, earth, wood or seeds from trees or fruit is meant to be used to accomplish peaceful sadhanas and peaceful action. A mala made from gold will accomplish expan­sive karmas. A red coral mala is best for accomplishing powerful sadhanas. A steel or turquoise mala is good for wrathful activity. A mala made from dzi or other precious stones can be used to accom­plish any of the karmic activities you are doing.

A mala made from apricot stones will accomplish expansive ac­tivity. A mala made from “lot ton” (a tiny, round black seed within a fruit) accomplishes powerful activity A mala made from raksha beads accomplishes wrathful practices. A mala made from bodhi seeds accomplishes all dharmas. Malas of bodhi tree wood accom­plish peaceful karmas. A mala of mulberry beads accomplishes powerful karmas. Malas of mahogany wood accomplish wrathful practices. Malas made of ivory, especially from an elephant’s tusk, will accomplish all concerned activity.

Beads made of stone are good for expansive practice. Beads made of medicine are good for wrathful practice. Malas with many different types of jewels are good for any practice. However, I sug­gest that you not attempt to create a mala with a lot of different beads on it because, unless you know which combinations are ef­fective, you may cause a non-positive result.

Next, the text mentions the different kinds of benefits that are derived from using different types of malas. An iron or steel mala multiplies the virtue that is accumulated with each recitation in a general way. A copper mala multiplies each recitation four times. A raksha mala multiplies each recita­tion by 20 million, and a pearl mala by 100 million. A silver mala multiplies by 100,000 and a ruby mala by 100 million. A bodhi seed mala manifests limitless benefits for any form of practice, be it peaceful, expansive, powerful or wrathful.

You should all know the mala’s meaning and the best way to string it. String your mala using three, five or nine strings, and no other number. Three strings symbolize the three kayas, five strings symbolize the five buddhas, and the nine strings symbolize the nine vehicles.

The main guru bead may be composed of three beads, symbol­izing the three vajra states of being, the three kayas. The smallest bead on the outside should be blue, perhaps made of lapis. The color blue symbolizes the unchanging mind of ultimate truth. The bead in the middle should be red, to symbolize vajra speech, and the innermost bead should be white, to symbolize the vajra body.

Your mala must be blessed by a lama, and you should constantly bless your mala yourself by imbuing it with energy. You must put energy into your mala before counting recitations with it, to pro­duce real benefit.

You should clean your mouth and hand, and then your mala, before using it. You may also scent it with sandalwood oil.

Next, generate yourself as the deity, place the mala in your left hand and arrange the beads with the guru bead placed vertically in the center. Recite the mantra that transforms all dharmas into the awareness of their true nature: OM SWABAVA SHUDDO SARVA DHARMA SWABAVA SHUDDO HAM. This mantra cleanses and transforms impure perceptions into the awareness of emptiness.

From emptiness, the guru bead appears as the central deity in the mandala, and the other beads appear as the members of the entourage. This part of the practice is the meditation upon the samayasattva. Next, invoke the jnanasattva. Invite the primordial wisdom beings to come forth, hooking them so that they dissolve into the samayasattva, just as you would in a sadhana. Invite the wisdom beings to come from their pure lands into the space in front of you. They then dissolve into your mala and remain firm there. Thus, every part of your mala is the entire mandala. This includes the central deity, entourage, lotus seats, ornaments, hand emblems, colors, etc. Blessing your mala in this way multiplies each syllable of whatever mantra you then recite 100,000 times, besides causing good karmic results. Therefore, it is extremely important to do this.

Your mala represents not only the form of the deity but the speech of the deity as well. For example, if you recite the One-Hundred­Syllable mantra, the guru bead represents the syllable OM and the other beads represent the remaining syllables.

Guru Padmasambhava said, “Whenever you recite peaceful mantras, use the tip of your thumb to count the mala. When recit­ing expansive mantras, use the third finger. Use the ring finger and thumb when reciting powerful mantras, and use the little fin­ger when reciting wrathful mantras.” Use only your left hand to count mantras. The right hand is but rarely used; for instance, in some wrathful practices. Some books teach the use of both hands, but do not use the right hand only.

Whatever kind of practice you are doing, whether peaceful, wrathful, powerful or expansive, always be aware that the thumb is a vajra hook which hooks spiritual powers, deities and other blessings. It is also easy to move the beads with your thumb.

The text does not elaborate, but there are some extensive teach­ings on how to move the beads on the malas when performing certain practices. In some wrathful practices, you jerk the beads with both hands and so forth. If your mala has been repeatedly blessed by great lamas, by your own teacher and by yourself as part of your deity practice, it should accompany you like your shadow. You keep the root samaya of the vajra mala by never letting it leave your body.

I sometimes wonder, when I see Garuda amulets, if Christian images of demons may have been based on ancient iconography from other cultures. Looking at these two, it’s not hard to see the similarity between Garuda and satanic images of devils:

The Thai name for Garuda is Paya Krut (sometimes seen as Krut Garuda).

Making offerings and chanting the mantra is believed to bring wordly success and wealth as well as spiritual protection. I’ve shown a typical amulet pendant – there are more in the Garuda Images category.